Sunday, November 27, 2011

Stuff I Wish I Had Written: Wisdom And Education Edition

Schools are designed for the acquisition of knowledge. Occasionally we move from measurable knowledge to immeasurable knowledge. However, when I think of what's missing, it often fits into the general sense of wisdom: a recognition of mortality, a deeper questioning of existence and identity, philosophical conversation, an expansion of one's worldview, ethical thinking, a chance to serve the community, a better understanding of relationships, opportunities to experience the world rather than simply read about it.

Sometimes it's as simple as an analog clock. Other times it's a mural or a garden or a hard conversation about death when one of your schoolmates dies from an asthma attack. Sometimes it's a simple Socratic discussion. Other times it's a different way of reading a novel.

It's not that I'm against knowledge. I'm not advocating that schools abandon the Quadratic Formula or throw away the copies of Shakespeare. Wisdom is an expansion of knowledge. It's that second step of guiding knowledge toward thinking well about life or being empathetic or learning to love. It's an embrace of why does this matter? rather than simply how will this be tested?

The Obligitory Job Saving Disclaimer

The views presented here are solely my own. Nothing written on this blog should be construed by any living organism as the opinion of any past or current employer, spouse, sibling, parent, child, cousin, ancestor, or descendant. In short no one known or unknown to me whether they be living or dead should be linked either positively or negatively with the opinions I have written.

I reserve the right to change my mind and contradict what I said yesterday if someone proves me wrong.